Machine for drying and polishing articles of jewelry, &amp;c.



H. B. RICHARDSON. MACHINE FOR DRYING AND POLISHING ARTICLES OF JEWELRY, 6w.

lnu N & S.

0 E O, N

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 3, 1912.

MMMZA COLUMBIA PLANOGRAFH C0. WASHINGTON. D. C.

HENRY B. RICHARDSON, OF AT'I'LEBOB-O, MASSACHUSETTS.

MACHINE FOB, DRYING AND POLISHING ARTICLES OF JEWELRY, 8w.

noeaovs.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 14, 1914s..

Application filed September 3, 1912. Serial No. 718,201.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HENRY B. RICHARD- soN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Attleboro, in the county of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Drying and Polishing Articles of Jewelry, &c., of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to machines or apparatus for drying and polishing articles of jewelry, &c., and it consists in the construction and arrangements of parts, all as hereinafter set forth and claimed.

The object of the invention is to produce mechanically actuated means for drying and polishing articles of jewelry in a more efficient, thorough and rapid manner, and at a reduced cost, as compared with fixed wsawdustcarrying tanks usually employed for drying jewelry.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my im proved combined drying and polishing machine complete; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view, in enlarged scale, taken through the center of the barrel or drum; and Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

The following is a detailed description of the invention, including the manner of its operation and use:

The machine or apparatus as a whole is indicated by A. It is provided with oppositely arranged vertical end frames a, a, and horizontal connecting ties or rods of. To the frame members are secured alining bearings b, 6, adapted to receive the tubular journals or trunnions d, d secured to the respective ends of the polygonal-shaped revoluble drum or barrel B, the latter having one of its sides, as 7", removable; means,

consisting of a movable bolt f and bar f serving, in connection with the cover f, to maintain the drum in a normally closed and locked condition.

A stationary hollow heater member C is positioned in the drum, the former having a steam inlet pipe 8 tapped into one end, and an exhaust-pipe s tapped into the other end. The heater C is of tubular form, being eccent-rically positioned with respect to the drum B and the bearings Z), 5, with the major portion of the heater lying above the longitudinal axis of the drum. The pipe 8 passes outwardly through the trunnion d and is adapted to connect with a suitable steam supply; a valve 4) being employed for obvious purposes. The exhaust and water of condensation flows or is discharged from the heating chamber 0 via pipe 5 mounted in trunnion al a valve '0 interposed in the pipe being employed to control the outflow from the heater.

The drum B is adapted to be rotated bodily by means of a belt-driven pulley 72 secured to an extension of the corresponding trunnion 6Z1, when not in use the belt may be shifted onto the idle pulley 79 The frame is adapted to slidingly support-a pair of horizontal shallow pans or trays 7;, 70 normally positioned below the drum and adapted to readily receive therefrom its charge or loose contents. The upper tray 70, contiguous to the lower side of the drum, is provided with a screencovered bottom of comparatively fine mesh, thereby adapting it to be used as a sieve.

The other or lower tray 70 receives the ab sorbent siftings, as for example, dry sawdust, as it falls from the sieve.

Now, assuming the drum B to be temporarily stationary, the cover 7 removed, and the drum charged with a quantity of loose, dry sawdust or other equivalent absorbent substance in a finely divided state, the operator next places within the drums interior a quantity of wet. or moist articles of jewelry, as removed from the cleansing bath, followed by replacing and securing the cover f to close the drum, and starts the machine. Meanwhile steam may be circulating through the heater, if desired. A few turns of the drum suffices for the dry sawdust to thoroughly absorb all moisture from the surfaces of the articles, the movement of the drum also serving at the same time to agitate its loose contents to remove any stains or discolorations, thus leaving the articles in a perfectly dry, unspotted and polished condition. The screen-covered holes h in the drums ends permit acirculation of air therethrough and also the escape of vapor. Upon stopping the machine, the cover f is removed and the drum partly turned, its entire loose contents then falling directly into the open, fiat sieve l: beneath. The act of shaking the sieve quickly sifts or separates the sawdust from the jewelry into the lower pan It, the metal articles being retained in the sievee The sawdust may now be returned into the drum, and tie process above de scribed repeated continuously in connection with each batch or charge of jewelry.

I claim:

1. In a machine for drying and polishing articles of jewelry, the combination with a revolubly mounted drum having its ends provided with annular central journals alining with each other, and a closable charging opening formed in the drums wall, of a stationary hollow heater mounted within the drum and inlet and outlet pipes fixed to the heater extending outward from the latter through the respective annular journals for conducting steam into and from the heater.

2. A machine of the general character de scribed, comprising in combination a stationary frame, or housing provided with a pair of longitudinally separated alining bearings, a vented polygonal-shaped hollow drum adapted to loosely contain a moistureabsorbent substance as dry sawdust said drum having a normally closed charging opening formed in its side wall, annular trunnions fixed to and extending outward from the ends of the drum mounted in said bearings, means for revolving the drum, a non-revoluble hollow member adapted to form a heater positioned within the drum, and steam inlet and outlet pipes connecting with the heaters interior passing centrally through said trunnions. v

3. In a jewelry drying machine of the general character described, having a revolubly mounted drying'drum provided with a normally closed charging opening formed in its wall and outwardly extending central annular end trunnions, the combination therewith of a non-revoluble chambered member positioned within the drum, and controlled means for supplying said member with a heating medium. 7

a. A device-of the class described comprising 'end frames having openings positioned therethrough, a polygonal-shaped drum, tubular trunnions extending from opposite ends of said drum and journaled in said openings, a power pulley upon the projecting end of one of said trunnions, and an eccentrically mounted stationary tubular heater positioned within said drum and with its major portion lying above the longitudinal axis of the latter;

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY B. RICHARDSON.

Witnesses:

Gno. H. REMINGTON, CALVIN H. BROWN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). c. 

